House Bill 296 by Rep. Nita Hutter, R-Chalmette, passed the House floor 60-26, with 17 absent. Five representatives later got permission to change their yes vote to a no and the official vote tally became 55-31, which did not affect the passage of the legislation now headed to the Senate.

Rep. Nita Hutter, R-ChalmetteLouisiana's gift ban, which contains some exceptions, has been one of the state's tougher ethics restrictions, but it also at times has been worrisome for public officials afraid of an inadvertent or careless error over a minor good. For example, Hutter referred to token holiday gifts, which lawmakers often receive.

Librarians in St. Tammany were informed by the state Board of Ethics in 2008 that they could not accept cookies and homemade gifts from grateful regular patrons during the Christmas season because the food and items were bestowed in the performance of their duties.

The board opinion highlighted how strictly the law can be interpreted and led some lawmakers to support a loosening of the ethics statute.

Hutter's bill would allow gifts up to a value of $15 per occasion, and up to a cumulative value of $45 per year. One of the criticisms of the measure is that any repeal of the gift restrictions could become a loophole that could be exploited.

A no vote on the Hutter bill would give a lawmaker a voting record representing a more conservative view of what the law should be.

House members are allowed to change their votes on a bill if the chamber agrees and the change does not affect whether a bill would pass or fail.

According to House records, the five members with a vote change on House Bill 296 were Reps. Stephen Carter, R-Baton Rouge; Robert Johnson, D-Marksville; Chuck Kleckley, R-Lake Charles; Samuel Little, R-Bastrop; and Kirk Talbot, R-River Ridge.

The House also passed House Bill 138 by Rep. Pat Connick, R-Marrero, with a 99-0 vote.

The legislation says that anyone convicted of certain white-collar crimes against the government should have to pay back profits from the crime as well as restitution.

The bill applies to public bribery, corrupt influencing, filing or maintaining false public records, malfeasance in office, abuse of office, public payroll fraud and public contract fraud. It would allow state or local governments to file a civil court claim to recover gains obtained by a crime.